For years, men, women and children have experienced the misfortune of losing money and other objects stored within their pockets. In many instances, the loss occurs as the person wearing the garment transitions from a standing position to a sitting position or leans or rolls backward. During this movement, coins and other objects tend to roll out of the pocket onto the chair, car seat, ground, or other places surrounding the unsuspecting wearer.
FIG. 1 illustrates a left-side view of a typical pair of pants 10 having a waistband 11 and a front pocket 12. As shown, pant 10 typically includes a waistband 11, a front panel 16 and a back panel 18. Front and back panels 16 and 18 are generally joined at a side seam 20 that extends downward along the leg of the pant. For ease of access, the pocket opening 14 is generally located either along or in front of side seam 20. Note that the back of pocket 12 generally terminates at a back edge 24 along side seam 20. Coins 22, or other articles that are placed into the pocket, naturally .fall to the bottom of the pocket while the wearer is in a standing position. However, when the wearer moves to a sitting position the coins located within the pocket tend to fall back along the back edge 24 and roll out of the pocket through opening 14.
FIG. 2 illustrates a prior art pair of pants 30 having a pocket 33 that includes a "stop" 32. Stop 32 is stitched into pocket 33 below the pocket opening 34 to prevent coins from rolling out of the pocket. When a wearer moves from a standing to a sitting position. As illustrated in FIG. 2, pant 30 includes a waistband 31, a front panel 36 and a back panel 38. Front and back panels 36 and 38 are joined at a side seam 37 that extends downward along the leg of the pant. Pocket opening 34 is located adjacent to and in front of side seam 37. When a coin 39 is placed into the pocket while the wearer is standing, the coin falls to the bottom of the pocket at a low point located along side seam 37 and below stop 32. Although the pocket 30 of FIG. 2 offers some protection against the loss of coins during the act of sitting, it has many drawbacks. For example, if the size of the coin or article placed into the pocket has a width or diameter that is greater than the width of stop 32, the coin or article tends to roll over stop 32 and out of the pocket through opening 34. If a number of smaller coins and/or articles are stored within the pocket the same result occurs since the coins and other articles tend to piggyback themselves over stop 32 and out of opening 34 during the motion of sitting. As mentioned earlier, coins and/or other objects that are placed into pocket 30 fall to the bottom of the pocket below stop 32 when the wearer is in a standing position. As a consequence, it is difficult to retrieve articles located beneath stop 32 even while the wearer is in a standing position. In many instances, the stitched stop 32 may also detract from the outward appearance of the garment.
What is needed then is a pocket that protects against the spilling of articles from the pocket while providing easy access to the contents of the pocket. In addition, the pocket should not detract from the outward appearance of the garment nor interfere with the natural wear and feel of the garment.